12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (2024)

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To help every part of your garden feel like it has a distinct purpose, you may want to consider garden screening and there's a huge range of trellis, screening panels and rolls that you can use to achieve just that.

Multiple panels, trellis for climbing plants and statement-making garden screening can all help you carve out secluded pockets of the garden but screening is also a great way to increase privacy from neighbours and passers by.

Some screening is designed to attach to existing structures, such as fencing and pergolas, while others can stand independently and various sizes are available, as well as extendable versions which can be adjusted and moved as required. Screening also comes in a range of materials including natural bamboo and wood.

You can also create privacy in the garden by planting a tree, or a group of trees. Read about our recommended screening trees.

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Below, we explain how to get privacy in an overlooked garden followed by a selection of garden screening ideas, including all of the above options to help inform your choice.

For other decorative garden inspiration, we've also put together a round up of unusual garden ornaments as well as some useful garden mirror ideas. Plus, if it's seated or social spaces you want to create, see our garden seating ideas and guide to modern garden benches.

How to get privacy in an overlooked garden

The following solutions will help create privacy and a sense of seclusion in an overlooked garden.

Screening rolls

If your garden screening needs height or length, long sheets of lightweight fencing are ideal. Often made from bamboo or other woven materials, they're designed to attach to existing fencing or structures like a pergola or balcony. Garden screening rolls are also ideal for adding an extra layer of depth to prevent passers by or neighbours seeing in.

Trellis for screening

Trellis is a useful frame for climbing plants and a staple in the garden. However, trellis also makes excellent garden screening. Placing trellis above an existing wall or fence makes a natural garden screen, obscuring the view from neighbours. Larger sheets can also be used as dividers within the garden, to create quieter, defined areas for seating or socialising.

Screening panels

To create a more solid privacy screen a wide variety of specific screening panels are available. They can be used in combination to surround and hide a smaller area of the garden from view or as stand-alone statement panels to help define a patio or terrace space. Some panels are extendable or portable, so you can adjust the areas you want to seclude at different times of year.

12 of the best garden screening ideas

Browse our selection of trellises, rolls and panels below.

1

Willow Natural Fencing Screening Rolls

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (1)

Ideal for creating privacy in an overlooked garden this natural willow fencing comes in four-metre rolls. It can be attached to existing boundaries to extend the fencing's height as well as provide additional coverage. You could also surround a pergola to create a secluded area, separate from the rest of the garden.

Dimensions: 4m x 1.5m

Price: from £39.99

Buy Willow Natural Fencing Screening Rolls from Thompson & Morgan

2

Wilko Expanding Willow Fence

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (2)

Gardeners on a budget will appreciate this expanding willow trellis from Wilko. For just £5 and the cost of a climbing plant you can create some effective screening that won’t break the bank.

Dimensions: 180cm x 90cm

Price: £8

Buy the Expanding Willow Fence from Wilko

3

Trellis Panel

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (3)

These rectangular panels from B&Q feature a square trellis design for a more uniform, contemporary design and can be combined to create a private area, made more secluded by growing plants over the fencing. It can be mounted both horizontally and vertically, and comes with a 10 year guarantee.

Dimensions: 63cm x 1.83m

Price: £31.20

Buy a Trellis Panel at B&Q

4

Lattice Trellis 4 Pack

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (4)

If you have a lot of climbing plants to support, check out this 4 pack of trellis from B&Q. Made of sustainable FSC timber, it’s strong and durable thanks to pressure treatment and it comes with a 15-year anti-rot guarantee.

Dimensions: 1.8m x 0.6m

Price: £160

Buy the Rosemore Lattice Trellis 4 Pack from B&Q

5

Patio Side Awning

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (5)

If you have a balcony garden, this side awning is great for privacy. It’s collapsible too, so you can create a secluded spot when you need it, or alternatively, fold it up should you want a more open space.

Dimensions: 1.4m x 1.4m

Price: £34.69

Buy a Patio Side Awning on Amazon

6

Verdure Large Garden Screen

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (6)

These stylish panels can be used alone or in combination and there's a choice of two thicknesses and three colours available: black, grey and cream. The garden screening is UV treated to help protect it from fading in the sunlight and it can also be installed horizontally or vertically, depending on what works best for your outdoor space.

Dimensions: 1.8m x 90cm

Price: £100

Buy Verdure Large Garden Screen at Screen with Envy

7

Honey Rattan Weave

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (7)

For neat and uniform garden screening, this honey coloured rattan weave is a great choice. Its natural tone is understated so it won't draw the eye, making it ideal for screening unsightly bins and it's resistant to UV and frost. Made from non-toxic plastics, it's also safe for pets and wildlife.

Dimensions: 1m x 1m

Price: £26.99

Buy Honey Rattan Weave at Amazon

8

Forest Garden Fence Top Trellis Diamond Lattice

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (8)

Giving you extra height and privacy along the top of your fence, this trellis is great for introducing climbing plants like clematis, wisteria, and honeysuckle, which are not only beautiful but turn your fence into a living green wall.

Dimensions: 1.83m x 30cm

Price: £22

Buy the Forest Garden Fence Top Trellis Diamond Lattice from Wickes

9

Extendable Instant Fence

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (9)

This handy wooden trellis fence is a useful, practical option as it can be extended and retracted according to your needs. It's free standing, so there's no need to attach it to existing fencing and the diamond pattern would work well supporting plants such as ivy or climbing roses.

Dimensions: 80cm x 1.6m (extended) / 80cm x 27cm (closed)

Price: £98.99

Buy Extendable Instant Fence at Amazon

10

Arched Trellis Panel

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (10)

These arched panels are made from pine and feature the trademark criss-cross of traditional trellis. The wood has been pressure treated for long lasting protection and they are ideal for creating a sense of seclusion in a corner of your garden.

Dimensions: 9cm x 1.8m

Price: £68

Buy Arched Trellis Panel at B&Q

11

Rowlinson Garden Creations Corner Set

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (11)

This coordinating corner set is made from pressure treated timber, guaranteed against rot for 10 years. Ideal for a patio or terrace space, the set includes two screens, planters with liners and timber posts, so you'll have everything you need to set up an attractive garden divider instantly.

Dimensions: H1.83 x W1.04 x D1.04m

Price: £389.99

Buy Rowlinson Garden Creations Corner Set at Robert Dyas

12

Vedant Bark Privacy Fence

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (12)

This screen offers a natural, woodland feel, and because it’s made from bark, it’s easy to cut it to exactly the size you need.

Dimensions: 1.7m x 40cm

Price: £105.94

Buy the Vedant Bark Privacy Fence from ManoMano

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This product guide was last updated in August 2022. We apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (2024)

FAQs

What garden screens block out Neighbours? ›

These include evergreen shrubs like Viburnum or Photinia, bamboo, ornamental grass and conifers. Climbing plants such as ivy, honeysuckle, climbing roses and clematis are also a great way to cover a wall or fence to create a natural, living screen.

How do you make a garden privacy screen? ›

We'll throw in a few garden furniture ideas to enhance the privacy of your space as well.
  1. Choose a Pergola With Side Shades. ...
  2. Cultivate a Living Wall. ...
  3. Consider a Cantilever Parasol. ...
  4. Screen the Poolside. ...
  5. Nurture Flowering Shrubs. ...
  6. Go Contemporary With Glass. ...
  7. Layer your garden with stone retaining walls. ...
  8. Cover Up Unsightly Areas.

How do I screen my Neighbours? ›

  1. Investing in a beautiful garden should mean that you can enjoy the landscape without views into your neighbour's home, overlooking windows or unappealing scenery. ...
  2. Pleached Trees. ...
  3. "Courtyard Oasis" ...
  4. Fencing. ...
  5. Black-stained fencing screens the neighbours. ...
  6. Layers of Planting. ...
  7. 'A Garden For Birds & Bees'. ...
  8. Well Positioned Trees.
Mar 27, 2023

How do I stop my neighbor from blocking my view? ›

If you can't work it out with your neighbor, you may want to call a local real estate attorney. Under private nuisance laws or public ones, you could have legal recourse. But it could simply be best to get help from a lawyer. They can help you resolve your legal issues.

What plants make the best privacy screens? ›

Evergreen shrubs for privacy
Common nameBotanical nameSun/shade
Japanese PierisPieris japonicaFull Sun to Part Shade
Skip LaurelPrunus laurocerasus 'Schipkaensis'Full Sun to Shade
Hick's YewTaxus x media 'Hicksii'Full to Part Shade
Arborvitae (Emerald)Thuja occidentalis 'Emerald' or 'Smaragd'Full Sun
13 more rows
Feb 13, 2024

What is the alternative to bamboo fencing? ›

Reed fencing comes from freshwater reeds that grow along riverbanks and wetlands. They're harvested, peeled and connected with vinyl-reed coated wire. Reed fencing is an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to traditional plastic or wood varieties. It looks similar to bamboo, except it's much thinner.

How to make a cheap privacy fence? ›

If you can find a good source of free pallets, a DIY wood pallet fence can be one of the cheapest options for a privacy fence. Pallets come in a few sizes, but the most common standard dimension is 48 inches by 40 inches, which means it can be on the short side for a fence.

What is the cheapest type of fencing? ›

The cheapest fence to build is typically a simple wire or chain-link fence. These materials are inexpensive and installation is straightforward, making them cost effective choices. Another affordable option can be a basic wooden picket fence, especially if you're able to do some of the work yourself.

How do I make my open yard private? ›

Create a hidden sanctuary with these landscaping tips and simple solutions to make your yard more private.
  1. 01 of 15. Raise Up Your Plants. ...
  2. 02 of 15. Create a Room. ...
  3. 03 of 15. Add a Lattice Fence. ...
  4. 04 of 15. Layer Plantings. ...
  5. 05 of 15. Use a Hedge. ...
  6. 06 of 15. Look for Interesting Materials. ...
  7. 07 of 15. Mix It Up. ...
  8. 08 of 15. Climb the Walls.
Oct 7, 2022

How do you create a natural privacy border? ›

Consider plantings such as tall trees, evergreens, shrubs, and flowering plants that can be staggered to create an effective privacy barrier. Hardscaping features such as privacy walls and fences can also be used to create a defined a no-eyes zone around your house.

How do you screen Nosey Neighbours? ›

A DIY solution to stop soundwaves travelling from room to room is to use large items of furniture against adjoining walls. Large built-in bookshelves full of books can dampen considerable noise from neighbours. Large cupboards or even free standing bookshelves will help to create a soundproof effect.

What to do if your neighbor is watching you? ›

If you believe your right to privacy is being violated by your neighbor's security camera, you should contact a lawyer to figure out how to proceed. For the vast majority of cases, however, there is no legal violation. Your neighbor most likely is not invading your privacy with their security cameras.

How do I screen out noisy Neighbours? ›

Consider using bamboo

One of the fastest-growing screening plants is bamboo. You can choose a variety that grows to your exact desired height, and small plants purchased from nurseries can provide screening in as little as six months, growing to full height in about two years.

Can I put up privacy screen on my side of the fence? ›

Privacy screens can be installed directly in front of the existing fence (on your side), totally negating the need to negotiate with your neighbours.

How can I cover my Neighbours wall? ›

Cover the wall with plants and greenery

A planter that sits along the base of the wall will help break up the wall, and a few smaller olive, cherry trees or other trees for small gardens will look attractive. Wall climbing plants are a great option if you don't want to plant trees, and come in a real variety.

How close to a fence can I build a privacy screen? ›

Privacy screens can often only be 2.5m in height from ground level and be set to a minimum of 900mm from your boundary fence.

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